Does Saving Money at Walmart Really Help You Live Better?

New Research released in AEPP

“Save Money. Live Better.”

In 2007, Walmart changed its slogan from “Always Low Prices, Always,” to the one we know now “Save Money. Live Better.” But, does the slogan hold true?

In a new article released in Applied Economic Perspectives & Policy (AEPP) “Do Walmart Supercenters Improve Food Security?” Charles Courtemanche from the University of Kentucky along with Art Carden, Xilin Zhou, Murugi Ndirangu, discover whether opening Walmart Supercenters closer to residents will improve the food security.

Courtemanche says, “Previous research links Walmart Supercenters to higher obesity rates. Our study examines the other side of the coin: that the low food prices at Walmart can also lead to beneficial changes in eating habits by making it easier for families to afford enough food. In other words, Walmart’s cheap food may enable some people to eat too much, but it also helps others to eat enough.”   

The article is available online for a limited time. If you are interested in setting up an interview with Charles Courtemanche, please contact Allison Scheetz in the AAEA Business Office.

ABOUT AAEA: Established in 1910, the Agricultural & Applied Economics Association (AAEA) is the leading professional association for agricultural and applied economists, with 2,500 members in more than 60 countries. Members of the AAEA work in academic or government institutions as well as in industry and not-for-profit organizations, and engage in a variety of research, teaching, and outreach activities in the areas of agriculture, the environment, food, health, and international development. The AAEA publishes two journals, the American Journal of Agricultural Economics and Applied Economic Perspectives & Policy, as well as the online magazine Choices. To learn more, visit www.aaea.org.

Contact: Allison Scheetz
Senior Communications Manager
(414) 918-3190
Email: ascheetz@aaea.org